Let the eating begin or .shall I say continue…as eating seems to be a national sport here..but Santo Stefano..the day after Christmas seems to have become the national day of leftovers..which is a good thing.. no need to waste all that precious food that may be leftover..

A pranzo (lunch) in the mountains with friends and family was a good way to spend a day eating..and visiting and catching up…nothing else to do in the mountains on a cold December day..

I provided the dessert..using leftover panettone, chocolate, eggs to make tortini di panettone (panettone tortes) and leftover cornflakes for cokies…

Tortini Di Panettone

1/2 panettone broken into cubes and toasted in oven until golden

2 cups milk

3 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla

1 16 ounce bar dark chocolate

2/3 cup sugar

5 dried figs, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

Cover 10 muffin cups with parchment paper. Fill halfway with panetone cubes. Press down on cubes so they fit firmly. Divide broken chocolate pieces and place on top of each muffin half filled with panettone, then place in amount of raisins, chopped figs, then top with remaining panettone cubes, press down on panettone to fit firmly.

In bowl place in milk, eggs, vanilla. Whisk with wire whisk till slightly frothy. Pour over each cup gently a spoonful at a time. Repeat till liquid id finished. Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 40 minutes or until golden on top and firm. remove from oven, When cool pull up on parchment paper and remove each one, dust with powdered sugar…EAT…

For more recipe get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition